Sports and superstition often go hand in hand. But when that superstition becomes so strong that athletes begin blaming themselves for outcomes beyond their control, it reflects how deeply those beliefs are rooted.

Similarly, 2026 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions winner Nelly Korda appeared alongside her siblings, Sebastian and Jessica Korda, in Golf Digest’s video titled Korda Sibling Showdown. 

During the segment, Korda revealed: "As an athlete, you're always very superstitious." That superstition influences how she follows Sebastian’s matches. 

She said that if Sebastian is playing in Australia and has won the first set, she will avoid watching. She explained, "Because if I watch and he, let's say, gets broken, I'll be like, my fault, it's my fault."

She also shared that she follows certain habits, such as bouncing her left foot and keeping the remote on her right side while watching.

While Nelly Korda shared the superstitions she follows when watching Sebastian, she also applies similar habits to her own game. The 16-time LPGA winner keeps three tees in her hair and replaces them only after all three break.

She has also worn a hair band and a bracelet as part of her routine. At one point, she mentioned eating McDonald’s before a round as something she linked to her results.

Beyond these habits, she follows a fixed preparation sequence. Her warm-up starts with wedges and moves through the bag to the driver, followed by six bunker shots and putting drills.

Before each swing, she performs a mini-takeaway and resets the club before hitting. Meanwhile, between shots, she takes deep breaths and shifts her focus away briefly to reset her mind.

However, this is nothing new for the Korda family.

Nelly Korda Highlights Sebastian Korda’s Match-Day Habit as He Reflects on His Superstitions

Like Nelly Korda, her younger brother, professional American tennis player and 2024 Washington, D.C. ATP 500 winner Sebastian Korda, also has his share of superstitions that he has followed during competition.

During the video, Nelly Korda prompted Golf Digest to ask Sebastian about his routine during the year he won the Junior Australian Open. 

During the video, Nelly Korda prompted Golf Digest to ask Sebastian about his routine during the year he won the Junior Australian Open, which led to his revelation:

“It was chicken parm every single night for 12 nights in a row. I'm [Sebastian] pretty bad with superstitions. It's getting a little bit better. I'm trying to get away from it, but if I have a good first tournament after this family party, I'll be in my room just kind of checking away.”

Whether superstitions work or not, they remain part of what connects athletes to the game on a personal level.

What is one superstition you follow during a match? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at Daily Club Golf!

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu